Students give Greek yogurt A+ in school lunch test

How much Greek yogurt can students in schools across New York, Idaho, Arizona and Tennessee eat in three months?

The answer: 200,000 pounds of yogurt worth roughly $300,000.

In the wake of the booming success of its pilot Greek yogurt program, several lawmakers announced the USDA will expand its program to include other states. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. announced in a press release the USDA is looking to add four more states to the program.

“The USDA has done great work thus far, and I hope they will continue bringing this protein-packed snack to more school lunch rooms,” Schumer said.

"We're thrilled at the success of the USDA pilot program," Hamdi Ulukaya, Chobani Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said in a news release. "Providing students with affordable, delicious, nutritious food made with only natural ingredients is one of the most important things we can do as a company, and the success of the pilot in the first four states is a testament to the growing popularity of Greek Yogurt."

However, the announcement may have been premature. Brooke Hardison, a spokesperson for the USDA, explained that while the t program was a success, the decision to expand to other states has yet to be made.

"We received positive feedback from schools in the pilot states, and we are currently evaluating options for the future," she said in a Democrat & Chronicle report.

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About the Author:

Angela Bowman, associate editor, PorkNetwork

Angela joined PorkNetwork as staff writer in 2010, and today handles many aspects of the magazine’s online and print presence. From cattle to hogs, from corn to wheat, her farming roots trace to generations of hard-working farmers – her great-great grandfather helped bring turkey red wheat to the Midwest. Her family still grows corn and soybeans on their Nebraska farm dating back four generations. She graduated with honors from Ottawa University with a B.A. in Communications and combines her rural upbringing, precision ag experience and agricultural background to create fresh, informational articles that are both relevant and interesting.